Rail-joint shim



April 2, 1929. R. E. KEOUGH RAIL JOINT SHIM Original Filed Nov. 11, 1927 I. 'ENTOR.

' MM. W

Patented 2, 1929.

UNITED 1,707,435 'TATES PAT ENT. oFF -f ROBERT EMMET KEOUGH, or MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, AssIGNon ro THE Annm- CAN FORK & non co rAnY, or CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION or OHIO.

RAIL-JOINT snm.

Application filed November 11, 1927, Seria1 No.;232,539 Renewcdianuary 31, 1929.

This invention relates toan improvement inrail joint construction and more particu larly relates to wear compensating means for rail joints whereby rail joint bars which have become worn by the movement of therail ends in the joints and which bars are sufiiciently strong to. meet the requirements of use, may be continued in use inv connection with either worn rails or new rails? v (In the practicaluse of a rail "oint, the hammering down of the rail ends by the passage of the trucks of trains passing over the rails, results in wear at the undersides of the ;bottom corners of the rail heads at their ends, and principally rail joint side bars belowthe rail heads.

In my pending application Serial No. 99,475, filed April 3,1926, I disclosed wear compensating means adapted to be inserted in the crevice thus formed comprising whole and fhalf type shims, of gradually increased thickness proceeding toward the ends of the rails, that is toward the middle of the joint in'order tocompensate for the progressively increased wear towards the ends of the rails. The. present invention pertains to shims of the half? fln' object of my invention is to provide a wear compensating shimfor rail joints which will not be subject to displacement longitudinally of the joint. Another object of my invention is to pro vide an improved wear compensating means for rail joints which are adapted to fill the crevice resulting from wear in such a way that the crevice will be substantially filled in all portions.

Other objects of my invention andthe invention itself will become apparent by reference to thefollowing description of certain embodimentsofmy invention and in which description reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part. of this specification. r

In the drawings :Y I c v Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an application of-the invention indicating the position assumed bythe shim in the railjoint, partially by dotted lines.

Fig." 2 illustrates in side elevation a joint as illustrated in Fig. 1 with thejoint bars removedbutwith the shims at one side of the rails shown in place.

. Fig; 3 illustrates in perspectivea pair of shims of the half type indicated also" in occurring the foregoing figures and forming an embodiment of my invention. Referring now to all the lngs 1n all of which like parts are designated by like reference characters, bearingmem bers or, shims are made preferably of steel to be placed or inserted between; the head ofthe bar'B and the end side of the rail head at and contiguous to the-end of the rails B so that the pair of shims will occupy the central or: 'medial part figures of draws capable of standing the pressure andwear 0f service and each of the shims is adapted v head of thebar and theopposingend side surface of the rail head, and an apron part 1 having a. depending extens on 3 at the thicker ends of the shims; Each of the hearing members or'shims is tapered in thickness from their ends 4 toward their ends '5,

the thicker ends 4 being adapted to be disposed adjacent the'ends ofthe rails R and the thinnerends '5 adapted to be disposed most remote from'the ends ofthe rails. The apron extensions 3 preferably extend downward from the thickened ends of the shims and are adapted by their lateral edges 6 to engage the bolts 7 securing the joint bars B to the rails in their portions most nearly adja cent the ends of the rails.

Byfreason of the employment of pair i of bearing members or shims the upstanding burr or finof metal at the head ofthe bar, designated by the reference numeral X is avoided and does not have to be trimmed, ground, or hammered down to permit of the reuse of the bar on an old or new rail with shims of the kind described. In that way considerable economy is elfected in the installation of the present shims, and fur thermore the arrangement permits of the use of shims, of different thickness if desired at each side ofthe meeting ends of the'ra-ils to meet a case of unequal wear. For example, if it is-found that wear under one rail head is greater than the other due to heavier trafiic in'one direction, a shim of greater thickness at itsend nearest the joint may be used in combination with a thinner shim at the other, side. The; arrangement set forth permits of a widerange of-practical combinations for repairing'the worn bar head and underside of the rails with a minimumof laborand expense..

It will be seen that the shims, in angular the apron 1 extending between the rail Webs and the joint bars and that the apron extensions 3 occupy such a position in the joint as to prevent lateral movement of the half type shims longitudinally in the joint in a direction away from the ends of the rails. This prevents displacement oi'the shims in use and insures always that the thickest part of the shim will occupy the widest portion of the crevice occasioned by wear of the rail joint and conversely insures that the thicker part of the shim will not travel to narrower portions of the crevice resulting in an improperly supported or floating rail end.

'The present application is divisional in part from applicants previously filed application, Serial No. 99,47 5, filed April 3, 1926. Having thus described my invention in a particular embodiment, I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made from the embodiment herein illustrated and described and without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim: 7 i

1 A. wear compensating means for rail joints comprising a pair of separate metallic shim members,each progressively thickened in the direction of its length toward the center of the joint, said bars being each of uniform thickness on each line of crosssection extending transversely of the joint. 2. A wear compensating means for rail joints comprising a pair of separate metallic shim members, each tapering in thickness toward one end, and the thickened ends adapted to'be placed adjacent each other between the underside of a rail head and the upper edge of a joint bar, said bars being each of uniform thickness on each line of cross-section extending transversely of the joint. 7

3. A wear compensating means for rail joints comprising a pair of separate metallic shim members, each member consisting of an angular section tapering in thickness toward one end and adapted to be positioned between the underside of the head or a rail end and the upper side of a joint bar.

4, Awear compensating means for rail joints; consisting of separate metallic shim members of angular cross section and each tapering in thickness toward one end, andthe thickened ends of said members being adapted to be disposed toward each other and spaced apart beneath the ends of adjacent rail heads and above the upper edge of the joint bar.

5. A Wear compensating means for rail joints consisting of separate renewable and interchangeable metallic shim members of angular-cross section, each of said members consisting of a body tapering in thickness toward one end.

6. A shim for worn rail joints comprising a body of angular cross section progressively thickened from one end toward the other, providing an enlarged end adapted fill the worn portions between the under side of the rail head and the jointbar.

7. A wear compensating means for rail joints comprising a pair o separate metallic shim members, each member consisting of an angular section tapering in thickness toward one end and adapted to be positioned between the underside of the head of a rail end and the upper side of a joint bar, said shim comprising a depending apron extension of lesser width than the bearing portion of the shim adapted to be disposed between the inner bolts of a rail joint for engagement therewith to prevent longitudinal shifting of the shim in the joint.

8. A wear compensating means for rail joints consisting of separate metallic shim members of angular cross section'and' each tapering in thickness toward one end, and the vthickenedends of said members being adapted to be disposed toward each other and spaced apart beneath the endsof adjacent rail heads and above the upperedge pending apron extension of-lesser width than the bearing portion of the shim adapted to be disposed between the inner" bolts of a rail joint for engagement therewith to prevent iongituc inal shifting of theshim in the joint. 1 v

9. A Wear compensatingmeans for rail joints consisting of separate renewable: and interchangeable metallic shim members'of angular cross section, each of saidmembers consisting of a body tapering in thickness toward one end, said shim comprising a depending apron extension of lesser width than the bearing portion of the shimadapted to be disposed between theinner bolts of a rail joint for engagement therewith topreof the joint bar, said shim comprising a devent longitudinal shifting of theshim in'the j oint.

10. A shim for wornrail joints-comprising a body of angular cross section progres sively thickened from one end toward the other, providing anenlarged end, adapted to fill the worn portions between the underside of the rail head and the joint bar, said shim comprising a depending apron extension of lesser width than the bearing portion ofthe shim adapted to be disposed between the inner bolts of a rail joint for engagement therewith to prevent longitudinal shifting of the shim in the joint.

11. A shim for rail. joints adapted to be placed between a rail joint side bar and one of a pair of substantially abutting rails, of

metallic material of substantially continuously decreasing thickness toward one of its ends, said shim being of substantially uniform thickness on each lineof. crosssection extending transversely thereof.

12. A shim. for worn rail, joints comprise ing abody of angular cross section progressively thickened from one end toward the other, providing an enlarged end adapted to fill the worn portions between the underside of the rail head and the joint bar, and :1 depending portion engageable with a transversely extending part of the rail joint to prevent longitudinal displacement of the shim in the joint. j

13. A wear compensating means for rail joints consisting of separate renewable and I interchangeable metallic shim members of angular cross section, each of said members consisting of a body tapering in thickness toward one end, and comprising a ing extension at its end of greatest thickness.

14.;A wear compensating means for rail joints comprising a pair of separate metallic shim members, each progressively. thickened in the direction of its length toward the cen- 20 ter of the joint, and each engageable-with a transversely extending element ofthe joint to prevent its longitudinal displacement in the joint.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my 25 signature this 1 day of November, 1927,

ROBERT EMMET KEOUGH.

depend- 1 5 

